Lesson Planning Sheet

Title: Pie Charts

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the lesson:

 All students should be able to plot and interpret basic facts from a Pie Chart where the sample size is a factor of
360.
 Most students should be able to plot and compare facts about a pie chart.
 Some students should be able to plot and compare facts about a pie chart and appreiciate the limitations of
using pie charts to represent data.
Key words: Pie Chart, 360o, Circle, Data, Primary Data, Secondary Data, Discrete Data, Sample size, Mode

Learning Activities Resources:

Starter/Introduction
Use the first slide to introduce the benefits of using Pie Charts to convey information. Students Pairs of compasses,
should understand that the area of the sector represents the proportion of the sample rather
than its frequency. Posing the questions to the left of the chart will assess this. Discuss with the Calculators,
students where a circle is the most common shape for a Pie Chart.
Rulers,
Development
Students will need a pair of compasses, pencil and ruler to construct the circle. It is useful to Pencils,
also draw a radius to act as the baseline for the first sector. Discuss with the students that the
circle has 360 degrees which will be proportioned according to the frequencies of each Erasers
category. Students may need to be reminded about writing one number as a fraction of
another, then how to calculate a fraction of an amount. For example, Apple mobile phone Bar / Pie Charts
12 360°
= × 360° = 12 × ( ) = 120°. Since the students will be using 180degree protractors it is often Activity
36 36
most useful for the teacher to use the same rather than an interactive one. Real protractors
are often much easier to handle. Students may need to be reminded that using the wrong
scale could result in a 50o angle being constructed at 130o. Work through constructing the
various sectors with the students. Students should work at the same pace as the teacher so
that all keep up.
Once the first pie chart is constructed students should then be able to construct the Pie Chart
on the third slide independently.

Plenary
The plenary is used to consolidate and extend the student’s understanding by calculating the
frequencies from a completed pie chart. Students will need to have a secure understanding of
calculating a percentage of an amount using a calculator before attempting this. Have the
solutions presented on mini-whiteboards for assessment and feedback.

Differentiation

More able:
 Students could look at comparing the effectiveness of representing data through pie charts/bar charts or any
other means.
 Students could attempt matching pie and bar chart representations using the activity in additional resources.
Less Able
 Students could use circles that are split up into tenths with the data corresponding to the sectors so that
calculations involving fractions are negated.
 Pose questions involving Interpreting single sectors through questions such as, which is the mode/least
popular/second popular rather than comparing sectors.